1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to underground or partially underground shelters and, specifically, to a safe, waterproof protective shelter especially adapted to provide protection in the case of severe weather.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Natural disasters, such as tornadoes and other severe atmospheric disturbances, continue to take an enormous toll of human life each year. One of the most dreadful disasters which can occur is a tornado striking a thickly populated area without warning. Certain types of urban dwelling environments, such as mobile home parks, are especially susceptible to damage from high winds, water, hail and other naturally occurring phenomenon. Despite advances in electronic warning systems, radar, public safety and National Weather Service alerts, there is often insufficient time for affected individuals to be able to evacuate from the path of an oncoming storm. One way to protect individuals in harms way is to provide underground or partially underground shelters in the immediate vicinity of the dwelling.
During the Cold War era, as conventional underground shelters were adapted for general civilian usage, a number of concrete and reinforced concrete structures were devised which were typically scaled-down from the size designed for military usage to accommodate an average family. These structures were not watertight and were often damp with the air being fowled by the damp atmosphere. Providing the necessary excavation and construction of a concrete structure was time consuming and less than economical. With the scaling down of Cold War concerns, few if any fall-out shelters have been built in civilian areas in modern times.
Recent tendencies to erect homes having no basement and a slab floor emphasize the need for alternative protective shelters in the event of natural disaster, severe weather and other emergencies.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a prefabricated protective shelter which is completely assembled and ready for installation upon preparation of a suitable opening in the surrounding earth which will protect affected individuals in the path of a storm or severe weather conditions.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a protective shelter which is capable of economical mass assembly and which employs a structure which is reinforced against damage and which is sound against water leakage.
Another object of the invention is to provide a protective shelter fabricated from metal which is watertight and yet which is adequately anchored in the surrounding earth to prevent the shelter from being floated away in the event of flood, heavy rains or other natural disaster.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a prefabricated structure of a corrosion resistant metal which, when embedded in the ground, will be securely anchored therein and held against forces tending to work the structure loose.